Stapling machine



May 9, 1933. A. H. MAYNARD STAPLING MACHINE Filed March 13, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 9,1933. A H.- MAYNARD 1,907,8

STAPLING MACHINE IINIHIIIMNH if a Y 40 A .z- 1% i Patented 9, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT oFF ca ARTHUR H. MAYNARD, OI WARWICK, BHODE ISi-AND, ABBIGNOB TO BOSTON WIRE STITCHEB COMPANY, 01 PORTLAND, MAINE, A. CORPORATION 01 STAPLING MACHINE Application filed larch 18, 1930. Serial No. 485,58}.

This invention relates to improvements in wire-stitchers and sta ling-machines for use in attaching sheets paper and other objects, securing tags and labels to various articles, and for similar purposes.

A prime object ofthe invention is to provide a machine of the type specified which is adaptable for use with staples of diflerent s1zes.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the type specified having self-'adjustin means, herein termed adapters, for con orming the machine to operate on staples of diflerent lengths.

. Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the type specified wherein the adapters are arranged in cooperative relationship with the guiding-grooves throu h which the staples slide and act to support t e legs of the staples to prevent them from canting as they are driven toward the work. Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the type specified having the so-called adapters arranged to come into play when relatively short staples are being operated upon inthe machine and to be automatically displaced from operative position when staples with longer legs are used.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the type specified having adapter-means in-built in the machine and of simple construction and proof against derangement or getting out of order.

Further objects of the improvement are set forth in the following specification which describes a referred form of construction of the invention, by way of example, as illustrated by the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a conventional type of staplingmachine and illustrating the present improved adapter-means as applied to use therewith;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the machine showing the stapling-head depressed against the work with the staple-driver in raised position, and illustrating the fore part of the head in part section to disclose the present adapter-means 50 Fig. '3 is an enlarged detailed view of the 'tive position when staples with still longer arm 4 which is hinged or pivoted toits rearfore part of the staplinghead showing it in section on line 33 of ig. 1 and illustrating the adapter-means as operative with staples having relatively short legs;

Fig. 4 is a similar sectional view showing the method of operation of the adapters when staples with longer legs are used;

Fig. 5 is a similar sectional view showing two pairs of adapters displaced from opera- Fig. 8 is an enlarged perspective view of 10 the inside channeled face of the side-plate of the stapling-head which encloses the staplingmechanism; and

Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing the construction of the ada tier-elements and illustrating the manner 1n which they are yieldingly held in operative position by means of wire springs.

The present improved adapter-means may be used with various types of wire-stitchers and stapling-machines, being herein illustrated, by way of example, as applied to a hand-operated device of the construction shown and described in my copending a plication for United States patent, Serial 0. 241,591, filed December 21, 1927.

As shown in Fig. 1 of the present drawings the stapling-machine comprises, in neral, a horizontal base 2 mounting a staplingward end at 3. The staplin -mechanism is carried at the forward end 0 the arm 4, being housed in the stapling-head 5, and at the forward end of the base are suitable clincher-devices 6, to,be later described. The stapling-arm 4 consists of a bar 7 of rectangular cross-section constituting a staple-core, across which the sta' les 8 are straddled to adapt them to sli e forwardly thereon. Sheet-metal strips B'are welded or otherwise stituted by a flat strip of tempered metal coiled into a volute 14 and supported between the side-plates 10 of the head 5. The free end of the spring 13 extends from the volute coil 14 under a'roller 15 and thence leads rearwardly for attachment'to the staple-pusher 12 at 16.

Embracing the forward portion of the head 5 is a hollow plunger 17 constructed from a folded strip of sheet-metal and provided with inwardly-projecting runners 18 which slide in vertical grooves 19 on the outter faces of the side-plates 10. Seated in thetop of the hollow plunger 17 is a knob or presser-cap 20 which is secured in place by a cross-pin or rivet 21. Depending from] the bottom of the knob 20 is a pin 22 which projects through the upper coils of a helical spring 25, the lower end of the spring being supported on prongs 26 extending inwardly from the side-plates 10 whereby it acts to maintain the plunger 17 in raised position. A staple-driver 30 is attached to the forward wall of the plunger 17 by means of a rivet 31 with its upper edge bearing against the under-side of the knob 20. The stapledriver 30 is formed with narrow fins or splines 32 on its opposite edges which are .received in vertical grooves 27 on the inner faces of the side-plates 10', see Fig. 8, whereby the driver is-adapted' to slide up and down in the staple-head when operated from the plunger 17. As usual in machines of the present type the staples s are fed off from the forward end of the staple-core 7 into'the grooves 27 to present them beneath the driver 30 which, when the plunger 17 is forced downwardly against the resistance of its -s ring 25, acts to drive the staples down t rough the grooves into the work. The plunger 17 is provided on its forward side with latching-devices, indicated generally at 29, which operate in the manner as explained in my pending application, above referred to, to prevent the staple-driver from being returned to first position unless or until the staple being operated upon has been inserted clear through the work.

'The stapling-arm 4 is maintained in elevated position above the base 2 as shown in Fig. 1, to provide for inserting the work under the stapling-head 5, by means of a spring 33 located at the rearward end of the arm. The spring 33 is pocketed in a bore 34 on the under-side of the staple-core 7 and acts against a slidable plunger 35 which bears on the top of the base 2. The spring 33 has less tension than the plunger-spring 25 so that when pressure is applled to the knob 20 it will first cause the stapling-arm 4' to be swung down to bring the staplinghead 5 against the work before the Dlunger 17 starts to move downwardly on the head.

The clincher-device 6 comprises a pair of pivoted clinchers 36, shown most clearly 111 Fig. 2, which are operated from a vertical sliding plate 37 to swing their free ends upwardly to bend over the legs of the staple and v by means of a cross-pin 43. A plunger-pin,

44', see Fig. 1, is slidable in a bore 45 in the end of the core 7 with a spring 46 pocketed behind it to urge it outwardly against the staple-supporter 40 whereby to normally maintain the forward curved face of the latter disposed across the grooves 27 in which the staples are guided down into the work.

As the staple-driver 30 is slid down through.

the grooves 27 the legs of the staple being driven straddle the sides of the supporter '40 and the latter retains the staple against the bottom edge of the driver during the last end of the stroke thereof to guide the staple into the work. As the staple is driven into the work it forces the supporter 40 back against the pressure of the spring-plunger 44.

As before indicated, the present invention 5 is concerned with means for adapting the stapling-machine to operate on staples of different lengths and for this purpose it comprises a plurality of yieldable elements 47 and 48, called for convenience adapters, which are held in slots in theside-plates 10 with their forward ends forming a continuation of the grooves 27. Referring particularly to Fig. 8 of the drawings, it will be noted that the inner face of the side-plate 10 is milled out or cut -awa to form a channel 50 extending along the si e of the staple-core 7. The channel 50 is of a depth substantially equal to the thickness of the wire of the sta ples and its width corresponds to the length of the longest staple to be used sothat the legs thereof may slide through the channels of both side-plates as the staples feed forwardly onthe core 7 to advance them throughthe head into position to be driven. The cutting of the channel 50 through the faces of the side-plates 10 interrupts the grooves 27, that is to say, each groove'extends down to the edge 51 of the channel and then its rearward side is cut away by the channel to the bottom edge 52 thereof.

Now, it is to be observed that when staples of maximum length, say with legs three-quarters of an inch long, are being used in the machine as illustrated in Fig. 5, the staples will slide forward on the core 7 with their legs passing through the channels 50 and the foremost staple in the series bringing up against the forward side of the grooves 27 in the two opposite side-plates. A staple of this size when fed off from the end of the staple-core will be held in erect position by the pressure of the other staples behind it so that the points of its legs will be properly guided into the lower portions of the grooves 27. Staples with shorter legs, however, for example one-quarter inch staples such as illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings, must be carof its legs it will have a tendency torock and cant. After it passes down beyond the control of the staples in back of it its legs are liable to cant'back so that their points will strike against the edges 52- of the channels 50 in the side-plates 10 instead of entering the lower portions of the grooves 27. In such case the force of the staple-driver will cause the staple to be bent or buckled sothat it will stick in the machine and clog its action.

To prevent such 'misalinement or canting of the staples as they are carried down in the stapling-head the adapters 47 and 48 are provided, the latterbeing slidable in their slots in the side-plates 10 and yieldingly pressed against the sides of the staple-core 7 in the manner as shown most clearly in Fig. 6 of the drawings. The present embodiment of the invention illustrates two pairs of adapters, the upper ones 47 being spaced below the upper edge of the channel 50 to an extent corresponding substantially to the length of the legs of the shorter staples; and

the lower pair 48 being arranged in opposite.

relation at a slight distance below the upper pair. The adapters 47 and 48 are so located in their slots in the side-plateslO that their forward ends aline with the rearward sides of the grooves 27 in the plates. At their rearward ends the adapters are beveled off at 53 and 54, or inclined 'to meet the side face of the recessed portions 50 of the plates 10, wherebiyl when the staples being used are long enoug the side-plate 10 whereby to fasten it in' place. The springs 55 extend downwardly through the grooves 57 across the sides of the upper adapters 47 and terminate at a point slightly therebelow; while the springs 56 reach down across both pairs of adapters with their ends pressing against the sides of the lower ones 48. In order that the springs 56 for the lower adapters 48 may not be influenced by the outward movement of the upper adapters 47 the sides of the latter are slotted at 60 to provide a free space for the springs. It will also be noted from Fig. 9 of the drawings that the adapters 47 and 48 of both-pairs are slotted on their sides at 61, these latter slots alining with the grooves 19 in which the runners 18 of the plunger 17 slide.

In Fig. 3 of the drawings the two pairs of.

adapters 47 and 48 are shown as pressed inwardly against the sides of the staple-core 7 under the action of their springs 55 and 56, the staples 8 being here illustrated asof the smallest size having legs approximately onequarter inch long. i In Fig. 4 a longer staple is shown in the machine, its legs being approximately three-eighths of an inch in length, and in this case the upper pair of adapters 47 are forced back into retracted position by the ends of the legs of the staples which reach part way thereacross, while the lower pair of adapters 48 are below the legs of the staples and are pressed inwardly against the sides of the staple-core by the springs 56. In Fig. 5 both pairs of adapters are forced back or retracted by the staples, the legs of which are of maximum length, approximately three-quarters of an inc 1 long. The method of operation of the machine with staples having legs of the lengths indicated is as follows:

Assuming that the machine is filled with the one-quarter inch size staples as shown in Fig. 3, both pairs of adapters 47 and 48 will be pressed inwardly against the sides of the staple-core 7 and the staples will be slid along the core above the upper pair of adapters.

As the foremost staple, is slid off from the staple-core7 it will be held against the forward sides of the grooves 27 under the pressure of the staple-pusher 12 acting against the whole series of staples on the core. In this position of the staple s the points of ts legs will be positioned just above the top of the adapters 47 so that when the staple-driver 30 descends to drive the staple downthe points of its legs will enter the openings between the forward end of the adapters 47 and the forward side of the grooves 27. The short staples will thus be guided on the rearward side of their legs after they are carried down beyond the control of the staples behind them, being supported by the adapters 47 until the points of their legs enter the space between the forward ends of the lower adapters 48 and the forward side of the grooves 27. As the staple thus guided passes downward the pointsof its legs finally enter the lower portion of the grooves 27 and-thus the staple is guided throughout the complete stroke of the staple-driver 30 to prevent it from canting rearwardly. With staples having longer legs such as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4, the method of operation is as follows:

The longer staples will slide forwardly on the core 7 with their legs riding along the beveled faces 53 of the upper pair of adapters 47 to force the latter back into the position shown in Fig. 4. Now, when the fore most staple is carried down by the stapledriver 30 the points of its legs will enter the openings between the forward ends of the adapters 48- and the forward side of the grooves 27 to be guided thereby until the points of the legs enter the lower portions of the grooves 27.

When the longest staples, such as shown in Fig. 5, are used in the machine their legs will slide across the bevels 53 and-54 on both pairs of adapters 47 and 48 to force them back into the position shown in Fig. 5, the adapters being thus rendered inoperative in this case and having no function to support the staples since the legs thereof are immediately entered into the lower portions of the grooves 27 as the staple-driver 30 starts to descend.

It will be understood that in the operation of the machine the work is placed across the top of the clincher-device 6 on the base 2 and the staple-arm 4 carried downwardly by manual pressure on the'knob 20 whereby to bring the bottom of the stapling-head against the work to hold it in place.

after, continued pressure on. the knob 20 Thereers 36 are swung upwardly to bend them over to clinch them on the under-side of the article being stapled or stitched.

It will be observed from the foregoing that the present invention provides a particularly simple yet ingenious means for adapting means of the adapters, which come into play automatically in accordance with the size of staple being used, the shortest or longest staple is properly supported on the rearward side of its legs so that it cannot rock or tilt to cause it to be bent or buckled and therebyv clogthe machine. The'present device may be applied to practically all types of staplingmachines wherein the stapes are fed along a core or through a magazine, and its parts .are so constructed and related as to guard against their becoming deranged or getting out of order. Moreover, the device may be in-built in the stapling-machine at very little added cost and through its employment the machine will be given a wider range of usefulness for applying different lengths of staples in accordance with the requirements of the work. I

While the device is herein illustrated as embodied in a preferred form of construction and applied to a machine of certain type,

it is to be understood that modifications may be made in the structure and arrangement of its parts and in'its method of application without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, without limiting myself in this respect, I claim:

1. In a machine of the type specified, the combination of a magazine for containing a supply of staples, means for driving the staples into the work, means for successively feeding the staples to the driving-means, and means for engaging the rearward sides of the legs of a short staple being operated upon as 1t moves toward the work to prevent it from rocking or canting, said means being held laterally outward in inoperative position by engagement with the legs of longer staples when such are used in the machine.

2. In a machine of the type specified, the combination of a magazine for containing a supply of staples, means for driving the staples into the work, means for successively feeding the staples into position to be operated upon by the driving-means, and means slidably mounted for lateral movement into position at the rear of the leg of a short staple being operated upon to prevent it from rocking or canting, said means being arranged to be engaged by the legs of longer staples to force it outwardly into inoperative position.

3. In a machine of the type specified, the combination of a magazine or containing a supply of staples, means for driving the staples-into the work, means for successively feeding the staples into position to be operated upon by the driving-means, and means slidably mounted to move laterally inward to engage in back of the legs of a short staple being operated upon as the latter is carried toward the work to prevent it from canting or rocking as it is relieved of the support of the staple next behind it, said means being automatically slid outwardly by engagement with staples having longer legs.

4. In a machine of the type specified, the combination of means for driving staples, means for successively feeding the staples into position to be operated upon by the driving-means, and opposed means held inoperative by staples having relatively long legs and automatically moved laterally inward toward each other with staples having shorter legs to engage the staple being operated upon as it is carried beyond the control of the staple next behind it whereby to prevent it from rocking or canting.

5'. In a machine of the type specified, the

combination of means for driving staples, means for successively feeding the staples into position to be operated upon by the driving-means, slidably mounted staple-guiding means normally held inoperative when long staples are used in the machine and adapted to be automatically moved laterally inward at the rear of a short staple being driven to hold the latter from canting or rocking as it is carried beyond the control of the staple next behind it, and resilient means for operating said staple-guiding means.

6. In a machine of the type specified, the,

combination of means for driving staples, means for successively feeding the staples into position to be operated upon by the driving-means, staple-guiding means slidably mounted to adapt said means to be moved into osition to support the legs of a short staple ing driven to prevent the latter from canting as it is carried beyond the control of the staple next behind it, and resilient means for moving said staple-guiding means laterally inward into position at the rear of the legs of a short staple and to permit said staple-guiding means to be moved laterally outward to inoperative position when staples of greater len h are used in the machine.

7. In a mac ine of the'type specified, the combination of means for supporting a series of staples arranged in aline relationship, a staple driver for operating on the foremost sta le in the series to drive it into the work, aniadaptermeans normally disposed in position at the rear of the staple-driver to support the legs of a short staple being driven to prevent the latter from canting as it is carried beyond the control of the staple next behind it, said adapter-means being held laterally outward with respect to the staplesupiporting means by staples having legs of su cient length to exten thereacross.

' 8. In a machine of the type specified, the combination of a staple-core or supporting a series of staples in straddled relationship therealong, a staple-driver reciprocable wit respect to the core to operate on the fore- 7 most staple in the series, and adapter-means automatically movable laterally inward with respect to the sides of the staple-core beneath the legs of'the staples held thereon into position to support the legs. of a short staple being driven to prevent it from canting as it is carried beyond the control of the staple next behind it, said means being held away from the sides of the staple-core when engaged by the legs of longer staples.

9. In a machine of the type specified, the

combination of a staple-core for holding a series of staples straddled across its top, a staple-driver reciprocable with respect to the staple-core to drive the staples into the work, as adapter-means movable laterally inward toward the sides of the staple-core into position to support the legs 0 a short staple being driven to prevent the latter from canting, and resilient means for maintaining said adapter-means in operative position when relatively short staples are use in the machine while permitting said means to be held outward away from the sides of the staplecore by engagement with the legs of longer 96 staples. 10. In a machine of the type specified, the combination of a staple-core for supporting a series of staples straddled across its top, a staple-driver reciprocable with respect to the core'to drive the staples into the work, and a plurality of permissively-operated adapterelements arranged one aboveanother and automatically movable into osition to support the le of the staple ing driven to 106 prevent it rom canting as it is carried beyond the control of the staple next behind it.

- 11. In a machine of the type specified, the combination of a staple-core for supporting a series of staples in alined relationship, a staple-driver reciprocable with respect to the staple-core to-drive the staples into the work, guideways through which the staples are driven, and a series of adapter-elements ar-' ranged one above another and movable into cooperative relationshi with the guideways to support the legs of t e staple bemg driven to prevent it from canting, said adapter-elements being 'eldable to permit them to be moved out o operative position by staples having legs of suflicient length to extend across their sides.

12. In a machine of the type specified, the combination of a staple-core for supporting a series of alined staples, a staple-driver reciprocable across the end of the core to drive the staples into the work, adapter-elements slidably mounted at the sides of the staplecore and having portions for supporting the legs of a short staple being driven to prevent itfrom canting as it-is carried beyond the control ofthe other staples on the core, and

means :for resiliently urging said adapterelements inwardly toward the sides of the core while permitting them to be moved outwardly away from the sides of the core by staples having legs reaching across the adapter-elements. I 1

13. In a machine of the type specified, the combination of a staple-core for supporting a series of alined staples, a staple-driver movable with respect to the core to drive the staples into the work, adapter-elements slidably mounted at the sides of the staple-core and movable laterally with respect thereto,

and resilient means for normally maintaining said adapterelements in position abut ting the sides of the staple-core at the rear of the staple-driver to support the legs of a 5 short staple being driven to prevent it from canting, said adapter-elements having inclined faces engaged by staples having legs of sufficient length to overlap their sides whereby to force said adapter-elements latorally outward from the sides of the stapleas maintaining the adapter-elements in position to support the legs of a short staple being operated upon to prevent it from canting as it is driven toward the work while permitting said adapter-elements to be retracted into the slots by the legs of longer stapleswhen the latter are used in the machine.

15. In a machine of the type specified, the combination of a staple-core across which the staples are straddled, a stapling-head overlapping the sides of the core, a staple-driver reciprocable in the stapling-head to operate on the staples fed off from the end of the core, adapter-elements slidably supported in slots in the sides of the stapling-head to adapt them to be held in retracted position by the legs of relatively long staples straddling the core, and resilient means for sliding the adapter-elements in their slots to press them toward the sides of the staple-core whereby they act to guide the legs of a short staple being driven to prevent it from canting orrocking.

16. In a stapling-machine, the combination of a staple-core across which the staples are straddled, a stapling-head having side-plates abutting the sides of the staple-core and slotted on their inner faces to provide channels' through which the staples slide, a driver reciprocable in the stapling-head to operate on the staples as they are fed'ofl from the core, adapter-elements slidably mounted in slots in the side-plates of the staplin -head to adapt them to be retracted into thes ots by the legs of relatively long staples straddling the core, and resilient means for sliding the adapter-elements in their slots to press them toward the sides of the staple-core whereby they act to guide'the legs of a short staple being driven to prevent it from canting or rocking.

17. In a stapling-machine, the combination of a staple-core, a stapling-head comprising side-plates attached to the sides of the staplecore and slotted to provide channels through which the staples slide, a staple-driver reciprocable in the stapling-head to operate on the staples fed off from the end of the-core, rectangularly-shaped adapter-elements held in slots in the side-plates and slidable bodily towards the sides of the core, and springs on the side-plates bearing against the outer faces of the adapter-elements to normally maintain them in contact with the sides of the staple-core.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

' ARTHUR H. MAYNARD.

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